Kamal alleges rigging, his agents contradict

Shawkat Hossain Hiron (L) and Ahsan Habib Kamal

Ahsan Habib Kamal, BNP-backed mayoral candidate for Barisal City Corporation, alleged Saturday that the voting in the city is not being held in a free, fair and neutral manner, an allegation most of his agents denied.

Talking to reporters around 1:20pm after visiting Government Commercial Institute centre, Kamal also alleged that his agents were forced out of some polling centres in the city.

The Daily Star correspondent covering the city elections talked to at least 30 of Kamal's agents in 10 wards, who said voting was going on in peaceful manner until the afternoon.

Earlier in the morning, the BNP-backed mayoral candidate claimed that the city voters were casting their ballots in a peaceful and congenial atmosphere.

“Elections are being held in a free, fair and neutral manner,” Kamal told journalists after casting his vote at Barisal Polytechnic Institute centre at about 9:10am.

“Victory will be mine, if voting continues this way,” a confident Kamal said.

Before leaving the polling centre, Kamal and his followers approached the women’s queue, talked to the voters and sought vote from them.

Meantime, AL-led 14-party-backed candidate Shawkat Hossain Hiron cast his vote at Nuria High School around 8:30am.

Talking to newsmen, Hiron expressed his optimism about his reelection as the city mayor.

Of the three candidates vying for the mayoral post, Hiron and BNP backed candidate Ahsan Habib Kamal appear to be the favourite ones.

One hundred polling stations have been set up for 2,11,257 voters in Barisal City Corporation. Of the centres, 60 have been considered as vulnerable.

A total of 116 candidates are vying for 30 councillor posts while 45 for 10 councillor posts (reserved) in the city corporation.